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Berezin CT, Peccoud S, Kar DM, Peccoud J. Cryptographic approaches to authenticating synthetic DNA sequences. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:1002-1016. [PMID: 38418329 PMCID: PMC11309913 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
In a bioeconomy that relies on synthetic DNA sequences, the ability to ensure their authenticity is critical. DNA watermarks can encode identifying data in short sequences and can be combined with error correction and encryption protocols to ensure that sequences are robust to errors and securely communicated. New digital signature techniques allow for public verification that a sequence has not been modified and can contain sufficient information for synthetic DNA to be self-documenting. In translating these techniques from bacteria to more complex genetically modified organisms (GMOs), special considerations must be made to allow for public verification of these products. We argue that these approaches should be widely implemented to assert authorship, increase the traceability, and detect the unauthorized use of synthetic DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey-Tyler Berezin
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Samuel Peccoud
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Diptendu M Kar
- Department of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jean Peccoud
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Computer Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Systems Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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2
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Klauer RR, Hansen DA, Wu D, Monteiro LMO, Solomon KV, Blenner MA. Biological Upcycling of Plastics Waste. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2024; 15:315-342. [PMID: 38621232 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-100522-115850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Plastic wastes accumulate in the environment, impacting wildlife and human health and representing a significant pool of inexpensive waste carbon that could form feedstock for the sustainable production of commodity chemicals, monomers, and specialty chemicals. Current mechanical recycling technologies are not economically attractive due to the lower-quality plastics that are produced in each iteration. Thus, the development of a plastics economy requires a solution that can deconstruct plastics and generate value from the deconstruction products. Biological systems can provide such value by allowing for the processing of mixed plastics waste streams via enzymatic specificity and using engineered metabolic pathways to produce upcycling targets. We focus on the use of biological systems for waste plastics deconstruction and upcycling. We highlight documented and predicted mechanisms through which plastics are biologically deconstructed and assimilated and provide examples of upcycled products from biological systems. Additionally, we detail current challenges in the field, including the discovery and development of microorganisms and enzymes for deconstructing non-polyethylene terephthalate plastics, the selection of appropriate target molecules to incentivize development of a plastic bioeconomy, and the selection of microbial chassis for the valorization of deconstruction products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross R Klauer
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; ,
| | - D Alex Hansen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; ,
| | - Derek Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; ,
| | | | - Kevin V Solomon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; ,
| | - Mark A Blenner
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; ,
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3
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Sang Z, Li X, Yan H, Wang W, Wen Y. Development of a group II intron-based genetic manipulation tool for Streptomyces. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14472. [PMID: 38683679 PMCID: PMC11057498 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The availability of an alternative and efficient genetic editing technology is critical for fundamental research and strain improvement engineering of Streptomyces species, which are prolific producers of complex secondary metabolites with significant pharmaceutical activities. The mobile group II introns are retrotransposons that employ activities of catalytic intron RNAs and intron-encoded reverse transcriptase to precisely insert into DNA target sites through a mechanism known as retrohoming. We here developed a group II intron-based gene editing tool to achieve precise chromosomal gene insertion in Streptomyces. Moreover, by repressing the potential competition of RecA-dependent homologous recombination, we enhanced site-specific insertion efficiency of this tool to 2.38%. Subsequently, we demonstrated the application of this tool by screening and characterizing the secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) responsible for synthesizing the red pigment in Streptomyces roseosporus. Accompanied with identifying and inactivating this BGC, we observed that the impair of this cluster promoted cell growth and daptomycin production. Additionally, we applied this tool to activate silent jadomycin BGC in Streptomyces venezuelae. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of this method as an alternative tool for genetic engineering and cryptic natural product mining in Streptomyces species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Sang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xingwang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Hao Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Weishan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Ying Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
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4
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Cook GD, Stasulli NM. Employing synthetic biology to expand antibiotic discovery. SLAS Technol 2024; 29:100120. [PMID: 38340893 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2024.100120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial pathogens are a continually growing threat as our methods for combating these infections continue to be overcome by the evolution of resistance mechanisms. Recent therapeutic methods have not staved off the concern of AMR infections, so continued research focuses on new ways of identifying small molecules to treat AMR pathogens. While chemical modification of existing antibiotics is possible, there has been rapid development of resistance by pathogens that were initially susceptible to these compounds. Synthetic biology is becoming a key strategy in trying to predict and induce novel, natural antibiotics. Advances in cloning and mutagenesis techniques applied through a synthetic biology lens can help characterize the native regulation of antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) to identify potential modifications leading to more potent antibiotic activity. Additionally, many cryptic antibiotic BGCs are derived from non-ribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) biosynthetic pathways; complex, clustered genetic sequences that give rise to amino acid-derived natural products. Synthetic biology can be applied to modify and metabolically engineer these enzyme-based systems to promote rapid and sustainable production of natural products and their variants. This review will focus on recent advances related to synthetic biology as applied to genetic pathway characterization and identification of antibiotics from naturally occurring BGCs. Specifically, we will summarize recent efforts to characterize BGCs via general genomic mutagenesis, endogenous gene expression, and heterologous gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta D Cook
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Rd, Dodds Hall 316, West Haven 06516 USA
| | - Nikolas M Stasulli
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Rd, Dodds Hall 316, West Haven 06516 USA.
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5
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Martínez-García E, de Lorenzo V. Pseudomonas putida as a synthetic biology chassis and a metabolic engineering platform. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 85:103025. [PMID: 38061264 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida, especially the KT2440 strain, is increasingly being utilized as a host for biotransformations of both industrial and environmental interest. The foundations of such performance include its robust redox metabolism, ability to tolerate a wide range of physicochemical stresses, rapid growth, versatile metabolism, nonpathogenic nature, and the availability of molecular tools for advanced genetic programming. These attributes have been leveraged for hosting engineered pathways for production of valuable chemicals or degradation/valorization of environmental pollutants. This has in turn pushed the boundaries of conventional enzymology toward previously unexplored reactions in nature. Furthermore, modifications to the physical properties of the cells have been made to enhance their catalytic performance. These advancements establish P. putida as bona fide chassis for synthetic biology, on par with more traditional metabolic engineering platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Martínez-García
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor de Lorenzo
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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6
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Schada von Borzyskowski L, Schulz-Mirbach H, Troncoso Castellanos M, Severi F, Gómez-Coronado PA, Paczia N, Glatter T, Bar-Even A, Lindner SN, Erb TJ. Implementation of the β-hydroxyaspartate cycle increases growth performance of Pseudomonas putida on the PET monomer ethylene glycol. Metab Eng 2023; 76:97-109. [PMID: 36731627 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) is a promising next generation feedstock for bioprocesses. It is a key component of the ubiquitous plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other polyester fibers and plastics, used in antifreeze formulations, and can also be generated by electrochemical conversion of syngas, which makes EG a key compound in a circular bioeconomy. The majority of biotechnologically relevant bacteria assimilate EG via the glycerate pathway, a wasteful metabolic route that releases CO2 and requires reducing equivalents as well as ATP. In contrast, the recently characterized β-hydroxyaspartate cycle (BHAC) provides a more efficient, carbon-conserving route for C2 assimilation. Here we aimed at overcoming the natural limitations of EG metabolism in the industrially relevant strain Pseudomonas putida KT2440 by replacing the native glycerate pathway with the BHAC. We first prototyped the core reaction sequence of the BHAC in Escherichia coli before establishing the complete four-enzyme BHAC in Pseudomonas putida. Directed evolution on EG resulted in an improved strain that exhibits 35% faster growth and 20% increased biomass yield compared to a recently reported P. putida strain that was evolved to grow on EG via the glycerate pathway. Genome sequencing and proteomics highlight plastic adaptations of the genetic and metabolic networks in response to the introduction of the BHAC into P. putida and identify key mutations for its further integration during evolution. Taken together, our study shows that the BHAC can be utilized as 'plug-and-play' module for the metabolic engineering of two important microbial platform organisms, paving the way for multiple applications for a more efficient and carbon-conserving upcycling of EG in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Helena Schulz-Mirbach
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Mauricio Troncoso Castellanos
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Francesca Severi
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Paul A Gómez-Coronado
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Nicole Paczia
- Facility for Metabolomics and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Timo Glatter
- Facility for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Arren Bar-Even
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Steffen N Lindner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
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7
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Martínez-García E, Fraile S, Algar E, Aparicio T, Velázquez E, Calles B, Tas H, Blázquez B, Martín B, Prieto C, Sánchez-Sampedro L, Nørholm MH, Volke D, Wirth N, Dvořák P, Alejaldre L, Grozinger L, Crowther M, Goñi-Moreno A, Nikel P, Nogales J, de Lorenzo V. SEVA 4.0: an update of the Standard European Vector Architecture database for advanced analysis and programming of bacterial phenotypes. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:D1558-D1567. [PMID: 36420904 PMCID: PMC9825617 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The SEVA platform (https://seva-plasmids.com) was launched one decade ago, both as a database (DB) and as a physical repository of plasmid vectors for genetic analysis and engineering of Gram-negative bacteria with a structure and nomenclature that follows a strict, fixed architecture of functional DNA segments. While the current update keeps the basic features of earlier versions, the platform has been upgraded not only with many more ready-to-use plasmids but also with features that expand the range of target species, harmonize DNA assembly methods and enable new applications. In particular, SEVA 4.0 includes (i) a sub-collection of plasmids for easing the composition of multiple DNA segments with MoClo/Golden Gate technology, (ii) vectors for Gram-positive bacteria and yeast and [iii] off-the-shelf constructs with built-in functionalities. A growing collection of plasmids that capture part of the standard-but not its entirety-has been compiled also into the DB and repository as a separate corpus (SEVAsib) because of its value as a resource for constructing and deploying phenotypes of interest. Maintenance and curation of the DB were accompanied by dedicated diffusion and communication channels that make the SEVA platform a popular resource for genetic analyses, genome editing and bioengineering of a large number of microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Martínez-García
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofía Fraile
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Algar
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomás Aparicio
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Velázquez
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Calles
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Huseyin Tas
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Blas Blázquez
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Morten H H Nørholm
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Daniel C Volke
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nicolas T Wirth
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pavel Dvořák
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 62500 Czech Republic
| | - Lorea Alejaldre
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (INIA-CSIC), Pozuelo de Alarcón 28223, Spain
| | - Lewis Grozinger
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (INIA-CSIC), Pozuelo de Alarcón 28223, Spain
- School of Computing, Newcastle University, NE4 5TG, UK
| | - Matthew Crowther
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (INIA-CSIC), Pozuelo de Alarcón 28223, Spain
- School of Computing, Newcastle University, NE4 5TG, UK
| | - Angel Goñi-Moreno
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (INIA-CSIC), Pozuelo de Alarcón 28223, Spain
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Juan Nogales
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor de Lorenzo
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
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8
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Velázquez E, Al-Ramahi Y, de Lorenzo V. CRISPR/Cas9-enhanced Targetron Insertion for Delivery of Heterologous Sequences into the Genome of Gram-Negative Bacteria. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e532. [PMID: 36066245 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Targetron technology, a gene-editing approach based on the use of mobile group II introns, is particularly useful for bacterial strains deficient in homologous recombination. Specifically, the Ll.LtrB intron from Lactococcus lactis can be used in a wide range of species and can be easily retargeted, that is, modified for integration into any locus of interest. Targetron technology is thus a powerful tool for generating genomic insertions in a broad range of genetic backgrounds, mainly when no other techniques can be efficiently employed. Notably, the approach can be coupled to CRISPR/Cas9 counterselection of wildtype DNA sequences to decrease the population of unmodified cells and ultimately improve Ll.LtrB insertion efficiency. Here, we describe a step-by-step protocol for delivering exogenous sequences into the genome of Gram-negative bacteria by means of targetron technology and CRISPR/Cas9 counterselection using Pseudomonas putida as a model. We describe the retargeting of the Ll.LtrB intron to the locus selected for insertion, the design of specific spacers for eliminating unmutated cells through CRISPR/Cas9 counterselection, and the cloning of exogenous sequences into Ll.LtrB. We also provide a protocol for delivering a specific cargo to the locus of choice once all necessary components of the system are ready. Lastly, we describe a general protocol for curing the engineered strain of all plasmids. CRISPR/Cas9-enhanced Ll.LtrB insertion can be an efficient alternative for overcoming low recombination-based editing efficiency and can be used in numerous bacterial species. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Retargeting the Ll.LtrB intron to the target locus Support Protocol 1: Preparation of competent E. coli Basic Protocol 2: Design and cloning of CRISPR spacers to counterselect Ll.LtrB insertions Support Protocol 2: Interference assay to check efficiency of selected spacers Basic Protocol 3: Cloning cargos into Ll.LtrB Basic Protocol 4: Ll.LtrB/CRISPR/Cas9-mediated insertion Basic Protocol 5: Curing the engineered strain of plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Velázquez
- Systems Biology Department, National Center for Biotechnology-Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Yamal Al-Ramahi
- Systems Biology Department, National Center for Biotechnology-Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor de Lorenzo
- Systems Biology Department, National Center for Biotechnology-Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Tellechea-Luzardo J, Hobbs L, Velázquez E, Pelechova L, Woods S, de Lorenzo V, Krasnogor N. Versioning biological cells for trustworthy cell engineering. Nat Commun 2022; 13:765. [PMID: 35140226 PMCID: PMC8828774 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28350-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
“Full-stack” biotechnology platforms for cell line (re)programming are on the horizon, thanks mostly to (a) advances in gene synthesis and editing techniques as well as (b) the growing integration of life science research with informatics, the internet of things and automation. These emerging platforms will accelerate the production and consumption of biological products. Hence, traceability, transparency, and—ultimately—trustworthiness is required from cradle to grave for engineered cell lines and their engineering processes. Here we report a cloud-based version control system for biotechnology that (a) keeps track and organizes the digital data produced during cell engineering and (b) molecularly links that data to the associated living samples. Barcoding protocols, based on standard genetic engineering methods, to molecularly link to the cloud-based version control system six species, including gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as eukaryote cells, are shown. We argue that version control for cell engineering marks a significant step toward more open, reproducible, easier to trace and share, and more trustworthy engineering biology. Full traceability and transparency are important to establish trust in engineered cell lines. Here the authors argue that version control for cell engineering marks a significant step toward more open, reproducible, traceable and ultimately more trustworthy engineering biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Tellechea-Luzardo
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5TG, UK
| | - Leanne Hobbs
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5TG, UK
| | - Elena Velázquez
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lenka Pelechova
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5TG, UK
| | - Simon Woods
- Policy Ethics and Life Sciences (PEALS), Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Víctor de Lorenzo
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalio Krasnogor
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5TG, UK.
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